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Chris Bryant, who stepped down as shadow Commons leader, claimed that Mr Corbyn refused to say how he had voted when the pair discussed his resignation.

The claim was contested from Mr Corbyn’s aides who pointed to a message the Labour leader had sent on social media on polling day saying he had just voted for Remain.

Chris Bryant, Labour MP

The row comes after criticism over Mr Corbyn’s “lacklustre” performance during the referendum and allegations that he may have actually wanted a Brexit – always denied by his staff.

Mr Corbyn voted against joining the Common Market in the 1975 referendum and was a frequent critic of the EU before taking over the leadership.

Speaking about his reasons for resigning, Mr Bryant told the BBC: "Jeremy's management of the campaign for the referendum left many voters on polling day not even knowing which way Jeremy himself was going to vote. I suspect that Jeremy may have voted to leave.

"Not only is that a betrayal of Labour's historic position on the European Union - a fundamental economic and foreign policy objective of ours - but also it means that if he were to lead is into a general election, the latest poll shows we would lose 150 seats, we would be a rump of 75 Members of Parliament.

"I said to Jeremy, 'Look, I've tried to make this work but the only person who can make this work is you, by stepping aside and not standing in the subsequent election and letting somebody else take over the reins because otherwise you will destroy the Labour Party'."

Mr Bryant said the decision of voters to withdraw from the EU - including a majority in his own constituency of Rhondda - had to be respected.

He added: "But what this country now needs, more than ever, is clear unambiguous leadership and I just don't think Jeremy has it in him to do that. I don't even think he really wants to be prime minister.

Responding to Mr Bryant's claim about the way Mr Corbyn voted, a spokesman for the Labour leader said: "It's a ridiculous thing to suggest.

"Jeremy tweeted immediately after he voted that he voted to remain, so the matter is already public."